One of my classmates studies Melville. I praise his patience. I question his reason.

Tough and enigmatic but entertaining. I'll have to reread this one, but my first impression is that this is much more tightly put together than Mardi and that just as good a case can be made that Melville was a closet Mormon as that he was (as some have asserted) a closet homosexual. For example, in chapter 45 the boy in the old yellow linen coat over his red flannel shirt "like...a victim in auto de fe" peddling a lock from behind a door (which recalls John 10:7,8) says to the Cosmopolitan (the Devil): Sell you one, sir?". The Cosmopolitan rejoins " I never use such blacksmith's things" To me this exchange points to Isaiah 54:16 which is quoted by Jesus in his prophecies to the Nephites in 3 Nephi and which refers (in that context) to the Prophet Joseph Smith and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Earlier the boy says when urged sell his wisdom and buy a coat, "Faith that's what I did today, and this is the coat that the price of my wisdom bought." The martyrdom of Smith seems to be covertly referenced, at least to someone of my background. Any comments? ( )